International Avenue is a
Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) in
Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, maki ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...
. The district is centered on
17 Avenue SE in the neighbourhood of
Forest Lawn in the east of the city. The district was created in 1993 to celebrate the rich cultural diversity that exists in
east central Calgary. The area has since become a popular location for
ethnic
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established fo ...
restaurants and shopping.
The BRZ was also established to help revitalize the former town of
Forest Lawn, which was annexed by the city in 1961. The neighbourhood has long had a reputation for being a haven for crime and drugs. In recent years, however, the area has been recognized for its
multi-culturalism and has been slowly developing into a major destination for both Calgary residents and tourists. The city and the BRZ are currently in the process of implementing new urban design and redevelopment initiatives.
Since 2003, International Avenue has played host to Calgary's large multi-cultural event,
GlobalFest
GlobalFest is an annual cultural celebration in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The festival has been held every August since 2003 (except 2020, when it was cancelled), . GlobalFest combines both a celebration of diversity known as OneWorld Festival and an International Fireworks Festival at Elliston Park. The event takes place annually in late August.
References
External links
International Avenue BRZShop 17th Avenue Committee
Neighbourhoods in Calgary
Business Revitalization Zones in Alberta
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